George S. Patton - World War II - HISTORY.com George S. Patton A+E Networks Introduction Educated at West Point, George S. Patton (1885-1945) began his military career leading cavalry troops against Mexican forces and became the first officer assigned to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps during World War I. Promoted through the ranks over the next several decades, he reached the high point of his career during World War II, when he led the U.S. 7th Army in its invasion of Sicily and swept across northern France at the head of the 3rd Army in the summer of 1944. Late that same year, Patton’s forces played a key role in defeating the German counterattack in the Battle of the Bulge, after which he led them across the Rhine River and into Germany, capturing 10,000 miles of territory and liberating the country from the Nazi regime. Patton died in Germany in December 1945 of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Google George Patton’s Early Life and Career George Smith Patton was born in 1885 in San Gabriel, California .

His family, originally from Virginia , had a long military heritage, including service in the Civil War. Patton decided early on that he wanted to carry on the tradition, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1909. Patton gained his first real battle experience in 1915, when he was assigned to lead cavalry troops against Mexican forces led by Pancho Villa along the U.S.- Mexico border. He served as aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing , commander of American forces in Mexico, and accompanied the general on his unsuccessful 1916 expedition against Villa. Did You Know? In 1912, George Patton represented the United States in the Stockholm Olympics, competing in the modern pentathlon. Of the five events--running, swimming, fencing, riding and shooting--he fared poorest in shooting, but still managed to finish fifth overall in the event. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Patton went along with Pershing to Europe, where he became the first officer assigned to the newly established U.S. Tank Corps. He soon earned a reputation for his leadership skill and knowledge of tank warfare, particularly after U.S.

and British troops emerged victorious from the first major tank battle at Cambrai in France. After the war, Patton served positions in tank and cavalry units at various posts in the United States. By the time the country began to rearm itself in 1940, he had risen through the ranks to colonel. General Patton in World War II: North Africa and Sicily Soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Patton was given command of the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions and organized a training center in the California desert. Patton headed to North Africa late in 1942 at the head of an American force; before the initial landings on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, he presented his troops with an expression of his now-legendary philosophy of battle: “We shall attack and attack until we are exhausted, and then we shall attack again.” Patton’s lust for battle would earn him the colorful nickname “Old Blood and Guts” among his troops, whom he ruled with an iron fist. With this formidable aggression and unrelenting discipline, the general managed to put U.S.

forces back on the offensive after a series of defeats and win the war’s first major American victory against Nazi-led forces in the Battle of El Guettar in March 1943. A month later, Patton turned over his command in North Africa to Gen. Omar Bradley in order to prepare the U.S. 7th Army for its planned invasion of Sicily. The operation was a smashing success, but Patton’s reputation suffered greatly after an incident in an Italian field hospital in which he slapped a soldier suffering from shell shock and accused him of cowardice. He was forced to issue a public apology and earned a sharp reprimand from President Eisenhower. General Patton in World War II: France and Germany Though he had greatly hoped to lead the Allied invasion of Normandy, Patton was instead publicly assigned command of a fictitious force that was supposedly preparing for an invasion in southeastern England. With the German command distracted by a phantom invasion of Pas de Calais, France, the Allies were able to make their actual landings on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day (June 6, 1944). After the 1st Army broke the German line, Patton’s 3rd Army swept through the breach into northern France in pursuit of Nazi forces.

Late that year, it played a key role in frustrating the German counterattack in the Ardennes during the massive Battle of the Bulge . In early 1945, Patton led his army across the Rhine River and into Germany, capturing 10,000 miles of territory and helping to liberate the country from Nazi rule. In the months following Germany’s surrender, the outspoken general caused another firestorm of controversy when he gave an interview criticizing the Allies’ rigid de-Nazification policies in the defeated country; Eisenhower removed him from command of the 3rd Army in October 1945. That December, Patton broke his neck in an automobile accident near Mannheim, Germany; he died in a Heidelberg hospital 12 days later. Patton’s memoir, titled “War As I Knew It,” was published posthumously in 1947; his larger-than-life persona later made its way to the silver screen in an Academy Award-winning 1970 biopic starring George C. Scott. Tags The Official Website of General George Patton - Biography Biography Facebook BIOGRAPHY One of the most complicated military men of all time, General George Smith Patton, Jr.

was born November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California. He was known for carrying pistols with ivory handles and his intemperate manner, and is regarded as one of the most successful United States field commanders of any war. He continually strove to train his troops to the highest standard of excellence. Patton decided during childhood that his goal in life was to become a hero. His ancestors had fought in the Revolutionary War, the Mexican War and the Civil War, and he grew up listening to stories of their brave and successful endeavors. He attended the Virginia Military Institute for one year and went on to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point on June 11, 1909. He was then commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regiment. Patton married Beatrice Ayer, whom he dated while at West Point, on May 26, 1910. In 1912 he represented the United States at the Stockholm Olympics in the first Modern Pentathlon. Originally open only to military officers, it was considered a rigorous test of the skills a soldier should possess.

Twenty-six year old Patton did remarkably well in the multi-event sport, consisting of pistol shooting from 25 meters, sword fencing, a 300 meter free style swim, 800 meters horse back riding and a 4-kilometer cross country run. He placed fifth overall, despite a disappointing development in the shooting portion. While most chose .22 revolvers, Patton felt the event's military roots garnered a more appropriate weapon, the .38. During the competition Patton was docked for missing the target, though he contended the lost bullet had simply passed through a large opening created by previous rounds from the .38, which left considerably larger holes. After the Olympics, Patton kept busy taking lessons at the French Cavalry School and studying French sword drills. In the summer of 1913, Patton received orders to report to the commandant of the Mounted Service School in Fort Riley, Kansas, where he became the school's first Master of the Sword. He designed and taught a course in swordsmanship while he was a student at the school. Patton's first real exposure to battle occurred when he served as a member of legendary General John J. Pershing's staff during the expedition to Mexico.

In 1915, Patton was sent to Fort Bliss along the Mexican border where he led routine cavalry patrols. A year later, he accompanied Pershing as an aide on his expedition against Francisco "Pancho" Villa into Mexico. Patton gained recognition from the press for his attacks on several of Villaï¿½s men. Impressed by Patton's determination, Pershing promoted him to Captain and asked him to command his Headquarters Troop upon their return from Mexico. With the onset of World War I in 1914, tanks were not being widely used. In 1917, however, Patton became the first member of the newly established United States Tank Corps, where he served until the Corps were abolished in 1920. He took full command of the Corps, directing ideas, procedures and even the design of their uniforms. Along with the British tankers, he and his men achieved victory at Cambrai, France, during the world's first major tank battle in 1917. Using his first-hand knowledge of tanks, Patton organized the American tank school in Bourg, France and trained the first 500 American tankers.

He had 345 tanks by the time he took the brigade into the Meuse-Argonne Operation in September 1918. When they entered into battle, Patton had worked out a plan where he could be in the front lines maintaining communications with his rear command post by means of pigeons and a group of runners. Patton continually exposed himself to gunfire and was shot once in the leg while he was directing the tanks. His actions during that battle earned him the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism, one of the many medals he would collect during his lifetime. An outspoken advocate for tanks, Patton saw them as the future of modern combat. Congress, however, was not willing to appropriate funds to build a large armored force. Even so, Patton studied, wrote extensively and carried out experiments to improve radio communications between tanks. He also helped invent the co-axial tank mount for cannons and machine guns. After WWI, Patton held a variety of staff jobs in Hawaii and Washington, D.C. He graduated from the Command and General Staff School in 1924, and completed his military schooling as a distinguished graduate of the Army War College in 1932.

When the German Blitzkrieg began on Europe, Patton finally convinced Congress that the United States needed a more powerful armored striking force. With the formation of the Armored Force in 1940, he was transferred to the Second Armored Division at Fort Benning, Georgia and named Commanding General on April 11, 1941. Two months later, Patton appeared on the cover of Life magazine. Also during this time, Patton began giving his famous "Blood and Guts" speeches in an amphitheater he had built to accommodate the entire division. The United States officially entered World War II in December 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor. By November 8, 1942, Patton was commanding the Western Task Force, the only all-American force landing for Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa. After succeeding there, Patton commanded the Seventh Army during the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, and in conjunction with the British Eighth Army restored Sicily to its citizens. Patton commanded the Seventh Army until 1944, when he was given command of the Third Army in France.

Patton and his troops dashed across Europe after the battle of Normandy and exploited German weaknesses with great success, covering the 600 miles across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. When the Third Army liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp, Patton slowed his pace. He instituted a policy, later adopted by other commanders, of making local German civilians tour the camps. By the time WWII was over, the Third Army had liberated or conquered 81,522 square miles of territory. In October 1945, Patton assumed command of the Fifteenth Army in American-occupied Germany. On December 9, he suffered injuries as the result of an automobile accident. He died 12 days later, on December 21, 1945 and is buried among the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulge in Hamm, Luxembourg. Remembered for his fierce determination and ability to lead soldiers, Patton is now considered one of the greatest military figures in history. The 1970 film, "Patton," starring George C. Scott in the title role, provoked renewed interest in Patton.

The movie won seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Picture, and immortalized General George Smith Patton, Jr. as one of the world's most intriguing military men. George S. Patton - Biography - IMDb George S. Patton Biography Showing all 40 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (21) | Personal Quotes (10) Overview (5) 6' 1½" (1.87 m) Mini Bio (1) George S. Patton III was a highly successful and highly controversial general who held Corps- and Army-level commands during World War II. Because of his great competence as a battlefield commander, Patton might have led the American troops during the invasion of Normandy; however, his impolitic ways and a degree of emotional instability (which manifested itself in the slapping of two soldiers suffering from shell-shock at an Army field hospital) put the kibosh on that. Patton was relieved of his command and put on ice for many months in order to recuperate. The command of the American forces on D-Day, instead, went to his former deputy in North Africa, Omar N.

Bradley . Patton was known as "Blood & Guts" ("Our blood, his guts," was a common gripe among his troops for his hard-driving discipline, which paid off in lower casualties and great success on the battlefield. With the exception of Douglas MacArthur, Patton ranks as the greatest general the U.S. put on the field during the Second World War. George Patton achieved four-star rank for his battlefield exploits as one of the best commanders of mechanized forces on either side during the War. He succeeded Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Military Governor of the U.S. Occupation Zone in Germany, when Ike -- a five-star general -- was promoted to Army Chief of Staff. Patton was immortalized in the 1970 eponymous film, which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor ( George C. Scott ). It was President Richard Nixon 's favorite film. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C.

Hopwood Spouse (1) ( 26 May 1910 - 21 December 1945) (his death) (3 children) Trade Mark (2) Known for his love of traditional warfare and gruff demeanor Trivia (21) Father of George S. Patton IV Commanded the famous Third Army which, by the end of World War II, captured or killed over one million Nazi soldiers. Was dyslexic. Since dyslexia was largely unknown when he was a young cadet, he constantly berated himself for being stupid because he sometimes failed tests and had to study much harder than other cadets. Was one of the wealthiest officers in the Army and as a junior officer, was a source of resentment from high-ranking officers because he had better living quarters and drove nicer privately owned vehicles. While a young lieutenant during Prohibition, he and one of his closest friends each set up a still on their army base to produce their favorite alcoholic beverages. His friend's name: Lt. Dwight D. Eisenhower . Participated in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm (the same Olympics that brought Jim Thorpe lasting fame) in the modern pentathlon.

He was an exceptional marksman, fencer, and horseman, and an excellent runner. Placed fifth overall, partly due to judges' determination that he missed the target, which Patton contested that he hit the same point on the target twice. Patton used a .38, which created larger holes than his competitors' .22s. He was also selected to represent the United States in the modern pentathlon at the 1916 Summer Olympics, which were scheduled for Berlin, but ended up being canceled because of World War I. Signed documents as "George S. Patton Jr." when, in fact, he was George S. Patton III. George Kennedy , who went on to portray Patton in Brass Target (1978), served under him in World War II. Designed and built his own version of the tank, but the army turned it down. Designed his own army uniforms, and came up with designs for uniforms for the tank soldier, but the army turned them down. Commanded the Seventh Army, which invaded Sicily. It was here that he slapped a soldier in the field hospital, and was relieved of command. Planned his battles using the ancient wars in Europe as a guide.

As commander of the Third Army, Patton ordered the killing of German soldiers in the act of surrendering or after being taken prisoner because he said they could not be trusted. When Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower reprimanded Patton for ordering his troops to kill POWs, Patton responded, "If you order me not to, I will stop. Otherwise, I will continue to influence troops the only way I know, a way which so far has produced results." Eisenhower then informed Patton to continue any way he saw fit, but to be cautious lest the murder of prisoners boomerang against him. On his part, Patton did not believe killing prisoners was wrong, as he believed it saved his soldiers' lives: "Some fair-haired boys are trying to say that I kill too many prisoners. Yet the same people cheer at the far greater killings of Japs. Well the more I killed, the fewer men I lost, but they don't think of that." Referring to the fact that American soldiers and Marines fighting the Japanese took no prisoners (giving no quarter was the modus operandi on both sides during the Pacific War), Patton was convinced that he was not doing wrong.

Killing soldiers in the process of surrendering and the bloody dispatch of prisoners eliminated logistical problems that would otherwise have slowed down Patton's Third Army, which sometimes advanced at the rate of 60 miles a day. Eisenhower, who was given the overall Allied command in Europe as he was a masterful politician, was wary about Patton's killing of POWs, as such a practice could be seen as antithetical to a democracy based on the rule of law. The Oscar-winning movie Patton (1970) failed to mention one of the most controversial incidents in Patton's military career, when he diverted troops to liberate a German POW camp housing his son-in-law. As recounted in the book "Raid: The Untold Story of Patton's Secret Mission," Patton sent a mobile force of about 50 vehicles and approximately 300 men to liberate the camp, which was approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) behind enemy lines. With no air support and no additional ground support, the task force liberated 300 American officers, including Patton's son-in-law, Capt. John Waters, and 1,200 enlisted men.

The suicide mission was not authorized by Patton's superiors and is seen by some contemporary historians as indicating that he was emotionally unstable, particularly when considered in light of his two slapping incidents and his anti-Semitism. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower , who had known Patton since 1918 and considered him a friend, respected his military genius and leadership abilities but was wary about his inability to control his emotions. Cautiously, Ike had appointed Maj. Gen. Lloyd Fredendall to command the army in North Africa instead of Patton in 1942, then had to replace Fredendall with Patton when Fredendall proved inadequate. At the time, he cautioned Patton about avoiding "personal recklessness" when he gave him the appointment, and counted on the presence of Gen. Omar N. Bradley to be a calming influence on the mercurial general. Conscious of why Bradley was assigned to him, Patton insisted that Bradley -- who had earlier commanded his own corps -- be assigned as Deputy Corps Commander. Bradley essentially was there to ensure that Patton didn't say or do anything untoward, and in tandem they proved a great success.

By the end of the war Bradley was in overall command of First Army, the great force that invaded France on D-Day. Patton, free of Bradley's calming influence, was on his own when he launched his foolhardy raid. The raid was uncalled for, as Waters and the other prisoners were not in any danger; it likely was influenced by paranoia on Patton's part rooted in his own orders to his troops to kill German prisoners. Unlike George C. Scott 's deep, throaty growl in the film Patton (1970), Patton himself actually had a fairly high-pitched speaking voice. Grandfather of Helen Patton , Robert Patton , and James Totten . Was a first cousin six times removed of President and also victorious General George Washington. His grandfather, George S. Patton was a Colonel in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and fought under General Robert E. Lee in the Army of Northern Virginia. Buried in the American Army Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg. When inspecting the concentration camps used in the Holocaust, he refused to enter certain rooms out of fear that he would vomit.

Pictured on a 3¢ USA commemorative postage stamp, issued in his honor 11 November 1953 (Patton's 68th birthday). Personal Quotes (10) A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood. A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later. It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight.

When you, here, everyone of you, were kids, you all admired the champion marble player, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, and the All-American football players. Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American. You are not all going to die. Only two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time, comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he's not, he's a liar. Some men are cowards but they fight the same as the brave men or they get the hell slammed out of them watching men fight who are just as scared as they are. The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared. Some men get over their fright in a minute under fire. For some, it takes an hour. For some, it takes days.

But a real man will never let his fear of death overpower his honor, his sense of duty to his country, and his innate manhood. Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base. Americans pride themselves on being He Men and they ARE He Men. Remember that the enemy is just as frightened as you are, and probably more so. They are not supermen. All through your Army careers, you men have bitched about what you call 'chicken shit drilling.' That, like everything else in this Army, has a definite purpose. That purpose is alertness. Alertness must be bred into every soldier. I don't give a fuck for a man who's not always on his toes. You men are veterans or you wouldn't be here. You are ready for what's to come. A man must be alert at all times if he expects to stay alive. If you're not alert, sometime, a German son-of-an-asshole-bitch is going to sneak up behind you and beat you to death with a sockful of shit! There are four hundred neatly marked graves somewhere in Sicily, all because one man went to sleep on the job.

But they are German graves, because we caught the bastard asleep before they did. An Army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure horse shit. The bilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don't know any more about real fighting under fire than they know about fucking! We have the finest food, the finest equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. Why, by God, I actually pity those poor sons-of-bitches we're going up against. By God, I do. My men don't surrender. I don't want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he has been hit. Even if you are hit, you can still fight back. That's not just bull shit either. The kind of man that I want in my command is just like the lieutenant in Libya, who, with a Luger against his chest, jerked off his helmet, swept the gun aside with one hand, and busted the hell out of the Kraut with his helmet. Then he jumped on the gun and went out and killed another German before they knew what the hell was coming off.

And, all of that time, this man had a bullet through a lung. There was a real man! All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters, either. Every single man in this Army plays a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every man has a job to do and he must do it. Every man is a vital link in the great chain. What if every truck driver suddenly decided that he didn't like the whine of those shells overhead, turned yellow, and jumped headlong into a ditch? The cowardly bastard could say, 'Hell, they won't miss me, just one man in thousands.' But, what if every man thought that way? Where in the hell would we be now? What would our country, our loved ones, our homes, even the world, be like? No, Goddamnit, Americans don't think like that. Every man does his job. Every man serves the whole. Every department, every unit, is important in the vast scheme of this war. The ordnance men are needed to supply the guns and machinery of war to keep us rolling.

The Quartermaster is needed to bring up food and clothes because where we are going there isn't a hell of a lot to steal. Every last man on K.P. has a job to do, even the one who heats our water to keep us from getting the 'G.I. Shits.' Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men. One of the bravest men that I ever saw was a fellow on top of a telegraph pole in the midst of a furious fire fight in Tunisia. I stopped and asked what the hell he was doing up there at a time like that.

He answered, 'Fixing the wire, Sir.' I asked, 'Isn't that a little unhealthy right about now?' He answered, 'Yes Sir, but the Goddamned wire has to be fixed.' I asked, 'Don't those planes strafing the road bother you?' And he answered, 'No, Sir, but you sure as hell do!' Now, there was a real man. A real soldier. There was a man who devoted all he had to his duty, no matter how seemingly insignificant his duty might appear at the time, no matter how great the odds. And you should have seen those trucks on the rode to Tunisia. Those drivers were magnificent. All day and all night they rolled over those son-of-a-bitching roads, never stopping, never faltering from their course, with shells bursting all around them all of the time. We got through on good old American guts. Many of those men drove for over forty consecutive hours. These men weren't combat men, but they were soldiers with a job to do. They did it, and in one hell of a way they did it. They were part of a team. Without team effort, without them, the fight would have been lost.

All of the links in the chain pulled together and the chain became unbreakable. Don't forget, you men don't know that I'm here. No mention of that fact is to be made in any letters. The world is not supposed to know what the hell happened to me. I'm not supposed to be commanding this Army. I'm not even supposed to be here in England. Let the first bastards to find out be the Goddamned Germans. Some day I want to see them raise up on their piss-soaked hind legs and howl, 'Jesus Christ, it's the Goddamned Third Army again and that son-of-a-fucking-bitch Patton.' We want to get the hell over there. The quicker we clean up this Goddamned mess, the quicker we can take a little jaunt against the purple pissing Japs and clean out their nest, too. Before the Goddamned Marines get all of the credit. Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo.

And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Just like I'd shoot a snake! When a man is lying in a shell hole, if he just stays there all day, a German will get to him eventually. The hell with that idea. The hell with taking it. My men don't dig foxholes. I don't want them to. Foxholes only slow up an offensive. Keep moving. And don't give the enemy time to dig one either. We'll win this war, but we'll win it only by fighting and by showing the Germans that we've got more guts than they have; or ever will have. We're not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we're going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy Hun cocksuckers by the bushel-fucking-basket. War is a bloody, killing business. You've got to spill their blood, or they will spill yours. Rip them up the belly. Shoot them in the guts.

When shells are hitting all around you and you wipe the dirt off your face and realize that instead of dirt it's the blood and guts of what once was your best friend beside you, you'll know what to do! I don't want to get any messages saying, 'I am holding my position.' We are not holding a Goddamned thing. Let the Germans do that. We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding onto anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all of the time. Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy. We are going to go through him like crap through a goose; like shit through a tin horn! From time to time there will be some complaints that we are pushing our people too hard. I don't give a good Goddamn about such complaints. I believe in the old and sound rule that an ounce of sweat will save a gallon of blood. The harder WE push, the more Germans we will kill. The more Germans we kill, the fewer of our men will be killed. Pushing means fewer casualties.

I want you all to remember that. There is one great thing that you men will all be able to say after this war is over and you are home once again. You may be thankful that twenty years from now when you are sitting by the fireplace with your grandson on your knee and he asks you what you did in the great World War II, you WON'T have to cough, shift him to the other knee and say, 'Well, your Granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana.' No, Sir, you can look him straight in the eye and say, 'Son, your Granddaddy rode with the Great Third Army and a Son-of-a-Goddamned-Bitch named Georgie Patton! -- speech to the troops, somewhere in England, June 5, 1944 I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me. [on bravery] Courage is fear holding on a minute longer. Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.

See also 10 Things You May Not Know About George Patton - History in the Headlines 10 Things You May Not Know About George Patton May 27, 2014 By Christopher Klein Share Find out why the legend of George S. Patton, Jr. endures, even 60 years after his death. From Patton 360. Share this: 10 Things You May Not Know About George Patton Author 10 Things You May Not Know About George Patton URL Google George S. Patton made his mark in World War I as the first officer assigned to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps before becoming one of the most prominent military commanders in World War II. Learn 10 surprising facts about the outspoken American general nicknamed “Old Blood and Guts.” Patton was an Olympic athlete. As a 26-year-old Army cavalry officer, Patton was selected as the sole American competitor in the first-ever Olympic modern pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm. Of the 42 competitors, he finished in fifth place, although he might have medaled if not for a controversy in the pistol-shooting event.

While the judges believed Patton missed the target with one of his shots, he argued that he was so fine a marksman that one of his bullets actually traveled through a bullet hole he had already made. Patton was also selected to the 1916 Olympic team, but the Games were cancelled due to World War I. He believed in reincarnation. Patton claimed he had seen combat many times before in previous lives, including as a Roman legionnaire and as part of the 14th-century army of John the Blind of Bohemia. Before the 1943 invasion of Sicily, British General Harold Alexander told Patton, “You know, George, you would have made a great marshal for Napoleon if you had lived in the 19th century.” Patton replied, “But I did.” The general believed that after he died he would return to once again lead armies into battle. He was forced to repeat his first year at West Point. Patton struggled academically during his initial year at the U.S. Military Academy and was required to repeat his first year after failing mathematics.

The plebe began working with a tutor and redoubled his efforts to receive adequate grades the remainder of his tenure at West Point, eventually graduating 46th in his class of 103 cadets. Patton first saw combat and gained fame chasing Pancho Villa. In response to a deadly 1916 raid by Pancho Villa in Columbus, New Mexico, President Woodrow Wilson ordered American troops across the Mexican border to capture or kill the Mexican revolutionary. Patton served as aide-de-camp to the mission’s commander, General John J. Pershing, and participated in the first motorized attack in the history of American warfare on May 14, 1916, in which Villa’s second-in-command and two of his guards were killed. Patton garnered headlines by ordering the three corpses strapped like trophy animals to the hoods of his unit’s automobiles before driving back to base. He carried a pair of pistols with ivory handles. Patton fired a new ivory-handled Colt .45 in the deadly Mexican shootout, but after the battle he decided to carry a second ivory-handled handgun for added firepower. The flamboyant pistols contained his hand-carved initials and became his trademarks.

He earned a Purple Heart in World War I. While personally leading an attack on German machine gun positions as part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on September 26, 1918, Patton was struck by a round that tore into his left thigh. Badly wounded, he continued to command the battle for the next hour from a shell hole and insisted on filing his report at division headquarters before being taken to the evacuation hospital. When the Purple Heart was reinstituted in 1932, Patton was awarded the honor for his combat wounds. Patton played a pivotal role in the eviction of the Bonus Marchers. On July 28, 1932, Patton received orders from U.S. Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur to disperse the World War I veterans seeking cash payments for their veterans’ bonus certificates who had occupied Washington, D.C., for two months. Charging down Pennsylvania Avenue and through the streets of the national capital, Patton led 600 cavalry troops on horseback who fired tear gas into the “Bonus Marchers,” trampled civilian observers including Connecticut Senator Hiram Bingham and beat protestors with the flats of their swords.

He was used as a decoy in the lead-up to D-Day. General Dwight Eisenhower believed Patton too undisciplined to lead the Allied invasion of Normandy, particularly after the impulsive Patton slapped two shell-shocked soldiers under his command in an Italian field hospital in August 1943. Nazi military leaders, however, considered him the Allies’ best commander and expected he would lead a cross-channel invasion. As part of the elaborate disinformation campaign leading up to D-Day, Patton was placed in charge of a phantom army, complete with plywood aircraft and inflatable rubber tanks, in southeast England to make it appear he would strike at the channel’s narrowest point at Pas de Calais, France. Even weeks after D-Day, the Germans continued to amass troops at Pas de Calais expecting that Patton would still come ashore there. His grandfather was mayor of Los Angeles. Patton’s maternal grandfather, Benjamin Davis Wilson, was a powerful southern California landowner who became the second elected mayor of Los Angeles in 1851. He also served as a county clerk, a county supervisor and a state senator. Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains is named in his honor. He designed his own sword.

Patton was one of the top swordsmen at West Point and among the foremost fencers in the United States. He redesigned the Army’s saber combat doctrine for the cavalry by favoring thrusting attacks over slashing maneuvers and designed the Model 1913 Cavalry Saber, a new straight-blade weapon designed for thrusting that became known as the “Patton sword.” Tags General Patton in WWII - His150 Annotated Bibliography His150 Annotated Bibliography The Enigmatic Figure of General George Patton in World War II Jordan Dykstra Enigmatic and controversial, General George Smith Patton will forever be an American icon and war hero for his efforts in the campaigns of Africa, Italy, France, and ultimately Germany during the course of World War II. In Patton: Ordeal and Triumph, Patton is said to be, “A swashbuckling tank-wizard the tabloids in the States already called, ‘Old Blood and Guts’.” [1] The official website of George Patton calls him, “One of the most complicated military men of all time.” [2] Many books, articles, and even films have been made about General George Patton, each offering their own take on this legendary figure.

This annotated bibliography can perhaps shed some light on the many controversies and questions about General George Patton’s exploits during World War II and the legacy that he left behind. So, how about basic biographical data, for those who don’t know? A paragraph. You’ve got room … you haven’t used 5 pages here. On November 8th, 1942, the United States mounted an invasion on the north coasts of Africa. This invasion was known as Operation Torch, and its ground forces were commanded by General Patton. And on November 11th, Patton had engaged in conflict at the French occupied Casablanca. [3] After many intense battles in the desert against the Germans and their commander Erwin Rommel, Patton and his men found themselves victorious in North Africa at last on May 20, 1943. After this campaign, Patton and his troops pursued their enemies into Sicily and ultimately Italy in what is known as “Operation Husky.” [4] Patton recounted that the series of battles in Sicily were of the harshest and intense that he ever faced, but one incident in particular changed the way that people look at General Patton.

In Patton: Ordeal and Triumph, it reads “He was about to leave the tent when his eyes fell on a boy in his mid-twenties who was squatting on a box near the dressing station with no bandage on him to indicate that he had been wounded.” [5] The man’s name was Private Charles Kuhl, and Patton had asked him what was wrong. Private Kuhl replied, “I guess I can’t take it.” [6] An enraged Patton slapped the man across the face and then dragged him out of the tent cursing at him. This incident, known as the “slapping incident,” was very controversial and almost got Patton demoted of his rank. After the eventual victories in Sicily and Italy, Normandy was next on the slate for Patton and his men. After learning that he would be used primarily as a decoy during the invasion of Normandy, Patton became very unhappy. Patton was stuck in England because the Germans thought that he and his troops would invade France through the English Channel. Instead, Patton waited in England.

“I shall always remember very unpleasantly the time spent in the apple orchard, because I was obsessed with the belief that the war would end before I got to it.” [7] “After the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, Patton's mission was to transport his Third Army to France and use it to break out of the Normandy landing region, spearheading the U.S. forces engaged in defeating the German forces in France. This he did with the greatest aplomb, outmaneuvering the Germans and pushing his forces in a madcap race to the Franco-German border.” [8] Patton pushed through France at a lightning pace with tactics of swift fast-striking mobilized tank attacks. Halted, Patton is probably remembered most fondly for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge. “The Battle of the Bulge (December 1944–February 1945) gave Patton his greatest moment in command, redeploying his army on short notice, saving the Belgian town of Bastogne and assisting in the final rout of the Germans.” [9] While experiencing awful weather, Patton issued his famous prayer to all of his troops through a letter for better weather.

[10] On December 9th, 1945, Patton was involved in a bad automobile accident that would days later take his life. “It was different with Patton. Riding on the right-hand side of the back seat, he was thrown forward and was then hurled back, falling limply into General Gay’s arms with his head to the left.” [11] Patton was buried at the American Military Center at Hamm, Luxembourg among 6,000 men who perished under his command of the Third Army. [12] A man of great enigma, status, and controversy, George Patton will always be remembered as a great military commander in American history. The aim for this annotated bibliography is to provide the public with a basic background of General Patton’s exploits during the Second World War and the controversies that followed him. It is up for continuous debate, just who was General Patton and what kind of man was he? History is definitely a subject that is up to a reader’s own interpretation, and General Patton is the epitome of that very statement. Guide to Selected Print and Online Resources for General George S. Patton in the Second World War Farago, Ladislas . Patton: Ordeal and Triumph.

Dominion of Canada: Faracorn Ltd, 1963. This book is very comprehensive and chronicles Patton’s life all the way from birth to the end of his life. By giving the reader a picture of both Patton’s military heroics and achievements, but also his often quirky behavior and antics, nothing is hidden from the reader in Patton: Ordeal and Triumph. The author provides a very in-depth bibliography at the end of the book. Patton, George S. War as I Knew It. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1947. This autobiography, written by General Patton himself, offers a great perspective of the war from his point of view. From heartfelt letters in his diaries, to gruesome accounts of the battlefield, this book provides the complete picture of what war was like for General George Patton. This book also includes a very comprehensive bibliography at the rear of the book that is annotated by Colonel Paul D. Harkins. D’Este, Carlo. Patton: A Genius for War. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. This book is yet another comprehensive guide to General George Patton filled with information from early life to his final days in Germany.

However, I found it useful because it is a more contemporary version of Patton’s life that was easier to understand than some of the other works. The author, a former war lieutenant colonel and military historian, provides excellent expertise on the subject matter. Book Reviews* Wolfert, Ira., review of War as I Knew It by George S. Patton, The New York Times, Nov 9, 1947: Pg BR 3. (Accessed April 27, 2012). This review provides both positive and negative comments and critiques on Patton’s autobiography. The author claims that it is a poorly constructed book and written too fast, but does give the reader plenty of information about the character of General Patton. All in all, this review on War as I Knew It can be considered both positive and negative. Marshall, S.L.A., review of Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago, The New York Times, Nov 8, 1964: pg. BR34. (Accessed April 28, 2012).

This review of Patton: Ordeal and Triumph is very comprehensive and provides a brief summary of the book along with the main points raised in it. The reviewer acknowledges the author’s dedication to this book and all the research that went about it, but criticizes the author for glorifying Patton in a few aspects of the book. The reviewer believes that while the author might be biased at times, that he did his research well with this large book about General Patton. *Book review could not be found for Carlo D’este’s Patton: A Genius for War. Only a review on EBSCO mentioned it briefly on an audio-book review that used segments from this book. Specialized Reference Works "Patton, George (1885–1945)." Encyclopedia of U.S. National Security, Vol. 2, Edited by Richard J. Samuels, 569-570. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. This online encyclopedia gives the reader some very good but basic knowledge of General George Patton. It gives a brief summary of Patton’s life and some of his notable achievements. Additional sources of information are included as well as a timeline of World War II and its various events.

Milner, Andrew. "Patton." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, Vol. 4, Edited by Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, 19-20. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. This online encyclopedia entry pertains to the 1970 film Patton. It gives a brief summary of the film along with information about the production of it. Also, it gives information about public and critical reception of the film, which for the most part was very positive. Internet Source Estate of George S. Patton Sr. “The Official Website of George S. Patton Sr.” Biography. (accessed April 26, 2012). This website is the official website of George S. Patton and offers many interesting pieces of information. There is a section devoted to quotes from General Patton as well as a section of photographs. A brief biography is given on the main page, and also there is a tab where you can find Patton’s famous prayer during the Battle of the Bulge. Digital Illustrations Virga, Vincent, and Curators of the Library of Congress, with commentary by Alan Brinkley.

Eyes of the Nation: A Visual History of the United States. Charlestown, MA: Bunker Hill Publishing, 2004. Artstor online offers a variety of pictures of all sorts of topics. This specific image of George S. Patton shows him ordering troops and telling them information. This picture is interesting also because it shows Patton ordering an African American soldier. Library of Congress Online, George Patton, (accessed April 27, 2012). The Library of Congress Online has many search results for George S. Patton including many digital illustrations. There are numerous images of Patton in uniform commanding his troops in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. This website also contains diary entries that are primary source documents. Journals and Magazine Articles ßI’m surprised that you didn’t find more on Patton in military history journals. Yeide, Harry. "The German View of PATTON." World War II 26, no. 6 (March 2012): 26-35. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2012). This EBSCO article offers a different perspective on how people saw George Patton.

It comes from the German perspective and is quite an interesting read. They say history is only written by the winners, but this article shows what the other side saw. Also included is a brief summary of important events in the war. It also includes many images of Patton during battle. "General George S. Patton." New York Times (1923-Current File), Dec 22, 1945. . This New York Times article written during the final stages of World War II shows us how much the general public thought of General Patton. This article is very positive toward him and portrays him as the ultimate American hero. It claims that Patton’s place in American History is secure and that his image cannot be tainted. Multimedia Source Patton (1970). DVD. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Los Angeles: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2006. The film Patton was a tremendous help during this project on giving a visual reference to all of the text that there is to read. Winner of 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor to George C. Scott, who portrayed Patton, it is a highly respected film.

All in all, it is regarded as a fairly accurate portrayal of General George Patton. [1] Farago, Ladislas, Patton: Ordeal and Triumph (Dominion of Canada: Faracorn, Ltd, 1963), 6. [2] Estate of General George S. Patton Jr, “Bibliography,” The Official Website of George S. Patton, (accessed April 29, 2012). [3] Patton, George S. War as I Knew It. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1947), 9.

Question: Which nickname was given to the American WWII general, George Patton?
Answer: BLOOD and GUTS